Dealing with Digital Stalking: How to Secure Your Devices and Protect Yourself

In an increasingly digital world, threats to our privacy and security are more prevalent than ever. If you find yourself in a situation where you suspect someone has gained unauthorized access to your devices, it’s crucial to take immediate and effective action.

Recognizing the Signs of Digital Intrusion

Late last year, I began to notice unsettling anomalies occurring on my computer and smartphone. My browser would open tabs without my intervention, and music would play on my device unprompted. Perhaps most alarming were moments when my mouse would move seemingly on its own. Similarly, strange behavior manifested on my Android phone, such as icons shifting and webpages scrolling by themselves while I was engrossed in reading.

A particularly eerie incident occurred when, upon arriving home, a video began playing on my phone right at my front door—just within reach of my Wi-Fi. I was puzzled, especially since I had used my phone only thirty minutes earlier. Upon shutting down the display while using it earlier, I didn’t interact with it further on my bus ride home, yet multiple folders opened, and a video began to autoplay.

Compounding my distress, I experienced bizarre auditory occurrences during a conversation with a family member, where phantom sounds of a man mumbling and phone buttons being pressed echoed in the background. It became increasingly clear that I was being monitored.

Taking Protective Measures

The culmination of these alarming incidents led me to a decisive move: I disposed of my computer. One day, while using Firefox, I fleetingly saw “4chan” appear at the bottom left of my screen, a disturbing sight. Upon examining my computer’s storage, I discovered an unexpected 6.3GB of data on a drive that should have been empty. The implications were terrifying—if someone could manipulate my computer in such ways, they could potentially frame me for illegal content. The looming threat of legal consequences left me feeling trapped.

In a bid to regain control, I removed my computer, cut my internet connection, and purchased a basic model phone devoid of internet capabilities. However, even this seemingly secure choice was undermined when I began seeing notifications for “Unknown Applications.” Strangely, I continued to hear an unsettling clicking sound each time I locked and unlocked my phone, despite my inability to locate any settings for it. Additionally, I experienced random deletions of draft messages, further deepening my concern.